Human Biology
by Energetic red
Summary: 1994 was the beginning of dark times. However, for rookie Auror Tonks, the darkness took a special form in a serial killer called, the Red Gallery Murderer. A killer who has a strange fascination in those who have a deformity, whether physical or mental...
1. Chapter 1

**First: I don't own the Harry Potter universe or characters.**

 **Hogwarts Drabble Challenge.**

 **Prompt: Handcuffs**

 **Warning: some mild disturbing themes. Human dissections.**

* * *

"A hundred suspicions don't make proof"- Fyodor Dostoyyevsky

* * *

17/04/94

Andromeda turned on the radio in the kitchen. So far the the house had remained relatively clean, since Ted had finally stopped trailing dirt in from doing the gardening outside.

The radio buzzed a she skimmed through the channels, twisting the dial until she found the news broadcast.

 _"...Another murder has been reported. 46 year old woman, Mrs Yuki Li was found dead in her home in Sheffield, by her husband Mr Haru Li, on Saturday evening."_

The kettle boiled, she placed a tea bag in her blue mug, leaning against the counter as she listened. A faint frown was on her face.

 _"Head of Auror department, Rufus Scrimgeour has released this statement: "We suspect the murder is the works of the low level serial killer, The Red Gallery murderer."_

The kettle gave a high whistle.

Andromeda turned the volume of the radio down, pouring herself a cup of tea. Pushing all thoughts of tragedy out of her mind as she went along with her day.

* * *

20/04/94

Tonks sighed, sitting down in the uncomfortable metal chair. The interrogation room was grey, having a claustrophobic feel to it; designed to make the suspects squirm. Tonks forced her expression to stay stern, this was the side of the job she hated, like a little piece of her was being forced away as she built up her walls to protect herself from whatever mind games a deranged killer would try to play.

But Melanie Stone was different, for one thing she was an Unspeakable, (A scandal the Wizarding radio news and Daily Prophet had milked dry, like a dead cow.)

Melanie also looked completely ordinary, no damage from dark magic, or demented appearance. Melanie's features were soft and docile, she was 31 years old, her skin ivory, with tints of pink on the cheeks. She had medium wavy vibrant ginger hair, with dark roots, and an oval face, with a long button nose. But her eyes….they were a bit peculiar, a deep piercing grey, the grey iris almost blending in with the white sclera.

"Are you going to stare at me all day?" Melanie spoke smoothly, her voice sounding like a news presenter's, clear and direct.

Melanie was a suspected serial killer, a killer who had murdered five people in the last five months, in very creative and somewhat artistic ways. Which was why her hands were handcuffed to the battered metal table.

The Victims:

Mrs Eliza Agarkar

Ms Rebecca Cornhill

Mr Alphonso Merrygold

Mr Arthur Lipworth

Mrs Yuki Li

Tonks struggled to keep her face passive, her hair changing to yellow. "On April 16th at 19:45 hours, you were seen leaving Mr and Mrs Li's house, in Sheffield." Her fingers twitching when Melanie smiled thinly. "Mrs Li's body was discovered three hours later by her husband-"

"The poor man must have been terrified," Melanie said. Tonks gritted her teeth. "I assume you suspect I murdered them?" She arched an eyebrow.

Tonks felt like squirming under the woman's stare. Why did they have to shove this one on her? Was this meant to be character building or rookie training? "Our Witness has identified you-"

"How were they murdered?" Melanie interrupted lightly, making Tonks' passive expression crack. "Was magic used at all?"

"No," Tonks admitted. "All the methods murder were…Muggle orientated."

"And the murder weapons were not found?" Melanie said, frowning. "So I'm being arrested for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, also why would I murder strangers and not subdue them with magic? I'm a witch." Smiling at Tonks placidly. "I don't mean to belittle you, Ms Tonks….but the flaws in your investigation are too large to ignore…" she said, ruefully. "Especially since I had an alibi for the other suspected murders."

People could be bribed and memories altered, that's what Mad-Eye had always warned her about. Magic could create the most convincing of illusions.

Tonks struggled to remain composed, trying to remain cool, a blush creeping onto her cheeks, a seed of doubt latching on, but she shoved it away. _Trust your instinct_ , Mad-Eye would always say. "Would you be willing to take Veritaserum and testify in front of the Wizengamot?"

"No, there's no need, because I'm innocent." Melanie leaned back in her chair a little, looking as calm as a cucumber.

 _Liar._

Tonks was silent, looking at the woman carefully, she wasn't sure what to make of this woman, but the overconfidence was unnerving. There was just something not quite right about Melanie. So how was Tonks meant to play this? Reciting protocol would get her nowhere, so she thought back to her training.

When dealing with a serial killer, profile them, analyse their mannerism and speech pattern. Observe and deduct. "Innocence is the absence of guilt." Tonks looked at her intently.

"And you can't prove a negative," Melanie continued, the two eyeing each other like they were having some sort of dance, eyes locked on. "In some ways the same can be said with the truth, what you believe to be a lie, I could interpret as the truth-"

"Until it's proven otherwise by solid evidence," Tonks interrupted. "So if there's no murder weapon, at the crime scene, where would it be?" Keeping her voice mildl, trying to gauge her Melanie's face was unreadable.

Why a Muggle method? Logically the weapons would be easier to hide, it was practical. But what about pleasure? The main reason most serial killers used magic was so they could feel the power the Dark curses gave them. Dark magic was addictive, some said it felt like a gentle caress, but also powerful and wild. It was a thrill like no other, one Muggle methods of killing wouldn't measure up to.

So was the Muggle method entirely for practical and logical reasons?Or was there a deeper meaning?

….Melanie was raised in a wizarding family. What was the point of the murders? What did _she_ gain?

"The autopsy said it was like a dissection," Tonks said aloud, looking at Melanie intently. "But the body was also displayed like art. Bit weird isn't it?"

"To the ordinary mind," Melanie looked at blankly, shrugging dismissively. "But it's about perspective, really, when you think about it," she added coolly, as if she was completely at peace.

"To a psycho, yeah, it'd be pretty mundane I think," Tonks remarked coldly. "But you seem to understand?"

Melanie tapped her fingers on the table, her neatly trimmed nails making a sharp drumming noise. "As an Unspeakable, I have explored many depths of magic, it's been a privilege really…..but genetics, biology, they are truly breathtaking," she said, scooting around the subject, her answer long winded.

 _Narcissist_.

"Ms Tonks, do you know the real difference between Muggles and Wizardkind?" Melanie's eyes seemed to light up.

Tonks searched for an answer, trying to avoid the obvious. "Bones, we're made of thicker stuff."

"Bravo," Melanie congratulated brightly.

 _Condescending._

Melanie's eyes twinkled with fascination, eyeing Tonks like she was a specimen in a lab.

 _Obsession._

Tonks tried not to squirm under the woman's intense stare, it felt like she was being undressed. It was disturbing.

Melanie's smile made her skin crawl. "But of course it is a bit more than that. The truth is hidden in the human body," Melanie said plainly, as if the answer was obvious.

Tonks tried not to clench her fists. "So the killer is searching for...what exactly?" Narrowing her eyes at Melanie.

Melanie smiled pleasantly. "Ms Tonks, when a teacher asks the class a question, she wants to see who's figured it out first," she told her cryptically. "Or they'll never learn."

 _Mind games._

Tonks scowled, trying not to let Melanie get under her skin. Trying to piece the puzzle together, some things were starting to click. But it still felt deranged,

A victim every month= Compulsion.

Dissections + Puzzles = Lesson?

Artistic poses = Expression?

No magic= Deliberate statement.

Victims' link = Unknown?

But if the main focus was biology….Tonks' eyes widened, she'd need to examine their medical records, what genetic trait made them of interest to this killer?

"Something about their genetics is the link," Tonks said. Melanie's expression remained blank.

 _Intrigue._

"Then you have quite the puzzle on your hands," Melanie smiled, before lifting up her cuffed wrists, glancing over at the clock . "Now according to the law, you're only able to hold a suspected criminal for twelve hours, my last hour expired twelve minutes ago… _So_?"

Tonks felt a rise of frustration, they had no murder weapon, her wand had been checked, house combed clean. And the head of the Unspeakable department was becoming frustrated by the Aurors interference.

It was bad press and bad press didn't reflect well on the Minister.

They had nothing.

 _The perfect murderer._

Tonks stood up from her seat, all the while staring Melanie down, but the older woman just kept on smiling. "Then I suppose you're free to go, Ms Stone," she said stiffly, un-cuffing her.

Melanie rubbed her wrists, looking at Tonks thoughtfully. Tonks smirked back challengingly, the two women appraising each other.

 _Let the game begin._

* * *

 _ **Blame Luther. God that show is addictive.**_

 _ **So, I'm gonna turn this into a series, because Tonks doesn't get enough love. True she wasn't developed that well...**_

 _ **But she's a shape changing Auror! The adventures she must have had!**_

 _ **The first two chapters of this will still be posted on my Hogwarts Drabble collection, until after the 25th August when the challenge is over.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**First: I don't own the Harry Potter universe or characters, I do own however any OC's.**

 **Drabble challenge.**

* * *

"A nice murder. That'll cheer you up."-Mrs Hudgson

* * *

23/04/94

There was a faint smell of treacle in the air, the cafe was decorated in lime green and was located in a small Muggle village outside Cambridge, called _The Pie stand_. Tonks was there with her mum.

Sometimes Tonks thought her mum was OCD, because Andromeda was a woman of routine. The woman always ordered a cup of tea with one sugar in, followed by a slice of blueberry pie- _never_ cream on the side- the napkin always folded on the right side of the plate.

But when Tonks had breeched the subject to her dad, he had just said her mum was just _quirky_ like that. Maybe they were living in denial...Or maybe it was just how her mum had been raised. Her dad had said etiquette stuck like gum on a shoe, it was why her mum always ate dinner like she was dining with the Minister of magic himself.

"Are you alright? You haven't touched your sandwich," Andromeda said inquisitively.

Tonks jerked her head up, taking her eyes off the spot on the wall she'd been transfixed on. "Just tired, mum, been working late." She smiled brightly, her hair changing to an even more vibrant pink. "If it isn't an old lady duelling a werewolf, it's a bonkers hermit trying to breed Dementors in his basement..."

Her mum chuckled into her tea cup. Tonks cocked an eyebrow, her mum's eyes widened. "Oh! You're serious? How did they even...?"

Tonks shrugged, taking a large bite of her tuna sandwich, chewing ungracefully, before swallowing it in one large gulp. "I dunno. He was off his rocker." She wiped the crust from her mouth. "I doubt it would have worked anyway."

Andromeda stared at her endearingly, smiling faintly, before using her fork to take a small chunk of pie. "Makes you wonder what the worlds coming to."

Tonks just gave a half-shrug, her mind trailing back to Melanie. Her brow creased, her hair changing to blue. "Yeah, I guess."

She saw her mum frown.

* * *

Tonks sat on the carpet of her apartment living, the place looking overcrowded with the large brown boxes piled up around the room, a pool of documents and photos surrounding her on the floor. She chewed her pencil, her brow creased in thought as she stared at the five photos.

All five victims had some sort of deformity, which was either physical or mental:

(Age 31) Mrs Eliza Agarkar, had a birth mark the shape of Australia on her left thigh.

(Age 43) Ms Rebecca Cornhill was born with six toes on her right foot.

(Age 50)Mr Alphonso Merrygold was Autistic.

(Age 37)Mr Arthur Lipworth had webbed feet.

(Age 46) Mrs Yuki Li had dead nerves on the left side of her mouth.

She stared at the photos very closely, why was Melanie murdering the deformed? It didn't seem like a hate crime…..

Tonks' stomach rumbled loudly, she frowned, she'd forgotten how hungry she was; what time was it anyway? How long had she been sitting here? She winced when she uncurled her legs, trying to stretch out the discomfort-she really fancied pizza right now-getting to her feet she walked over to the fridge.

Inside the fridge there was a variety of vegetables, a tub of butter, salad dressing and a small cheese pizza stuffed in the back. The apartment was in a Muggle neighbourhood, which Tonks found she liked, it was a lot more peaceful and the Muggle appliances were pretty wicked. The only downside was having to constantly convert her wages into Muggle money, but her dad had been a great help in that area, so it wasn't that much of a hassle.

She ripped the plastic off the pizza and placed it in the over-she wondered if Melanie lived in a Muggle apartment. Tonks frowned, leaning against the kitchen counter, trying to figure this psycho out was infuriating. Not to mention Melanie was a condescending ass….but at the same time the crazy bitch acted like she was trying to teach something important.

Tonks drummed her fingers on the counter top. Melanie was an Unspeakable, which meant she had high clearance. Even though many didn't know exactly what the Unspeakables did, the Aurors were aware that the department did do research into genetics, so it wouldn't be difficult for Melanie to get medical files on thousands of wizards and witches.

The victims were dissected and displayed in fancy poses, (one victim had the skin from his back stretched out into angel wings.) So it was a combination of Art and biology.

"So I'm dealing with an artistic scientist," she said dryly, letting out a deep sigh. " _Fantastic_."

Lots of magical folk were freakish in some way, especially with inbree-

Tonks froze, her eyes widening, she nearly tripped over when she rushed back to the living room, she snatched up the medical files, among the abnormities, the victims' blood status was also listed:

Mrs Eliza Agarkar: Pureblood.

Ms Rebecca Cornhill: Half-blood.

Mr Alphonso Merrygold: PureBlood.

Mr Arthur Lipworth:Half-Blood.

Mrs Yuki Li: Pureblood.

"Fuck yes!" Tonks shouted, a giant smile forming on her face.

The point Melanie was trying to prove was a personal and social experiment, she was trying to find the link incest had with genetic deformity, and more importantly she had a solid pattern. The murders took place every month, two woman then two men, Pureblood followed by Half-blood.

The next victim was going to be a Half-blood woman with some form of abnormity, whose family had a history of inbreeding which was documented in official medical records. The victims so far were between the ages 30 to 50, which meant Melanie was looking at the fairly recent products on incest.

Tonks felt a swell of excitement, she could solve this and wipe that smug look of Melanie's face, show her that her crimes wouldn't go unpunished.

Meanwhile the pizza burnt in the oven.


	3. Chapter 3

**First: I don't own the Harry Potter universe or characters, I do own however any OC's.**

 **Drabble and Quidditch forum challenge**

 **Prompt: 'blood was splattered on every wall in the room' and 'want to play a game?'**

* * *

 _"I profess to learn and to teach anatomy not from books but from dissections, not from the tenets of Philosopher's but from the fabric of nature."-William Harvey_

* * *

17/05/94

Tonks considered herself an optimist, even if Mad-Eye thought that was naive. Sure the world was full of horrendous things, things she didn't like thinking about, but that didn't mean there wasn't good as well.

With every murdering rapist, there was a kindly old lady who handed out sweets.

So she reminded herself that while blood was splattered on every wall in the room, somewhere else a room was decorated with rainbows and unicorns….

But, even that wasn't enough to brighten her mood.

She stood next to her new partner, Benshaw. He was a decent bloke in his early thirties, with a square like face, warm ivory skin and black hair and he had a sort of brutish look about him. Other than the fact he was addicted to Coffee, she didn't know that much about him, but so far he'd been friendly enough to her.

They had five Hit-Wizards looking for evidence, carefully wondering around the house in-rarely used-protective suits.

It was not a pretty picture to behold, and if training hadn't desensitised her, she probably would have thrown up her peanut butter sandwich and strawberry yogurt.

The victim was a Half-Blood female in her mid thirties, who had been with an asthma condition, a Ms Ellen Davies. She was a single mother with a child at Hogwarts. She had been found by her (former) boyfriend James Moonwhip.

The body had been beheaded while the person was alive, arteries punctured—the blood pouring out like a fountain, spraying the walls—while the rest of the body had been held in place with metal rods.

But, that was the least disgusting bit.

The woman's chest had been opened up; blood, fat, muscles and sweat glands all neatly cleaned away, creating some sort of human diagram. It was like the sort you'd see in those Muggle biology labs, showing all the organs from neck to waist. Her Grandpa had shown her one once, an old plastic one he'd used when he taught science to primary school kids.

"She's skilled with a knife," Tonks commented, circling the display, her eyes narrowing. "What do you think?"

Benshaw gave her a wryly look. "That she's fucking demented."

She rolled her eyes, shooting him an impatient look. "Not helpful."

He just shook his head, coming to stand by her side. "Well I'm still trying to get my head around this…" Benshaw looked at the morbid display in front of him, staring intently at the exposed neck. "Why did she take the head?"

Tonks blinked, looking around the soiled living room.

Wait, why did she take the head?

"That's a good question…." Tonks stepped a little closer, wrinkling her nose at the putrid smell. She examined the cut of the neck.

The cut was smooth and fast, but perfectly straight.

 _Muggle Beheadings + clean cut = sharp swords or guillotine._

She looked at the blood splattered on the walls, judging by the position, the victim had been sitting up when beheaded. She let her magic lick over the body, which is when she felt it, that tiny remnant of foreign magic that didn't belong to the victim.

The foreign magic was focused in a ring around the neck.

"Wait… she used magic on this one."

Benshaw frowned. "I thought you said that wasn't her style?" he argued, bending down to take a closer look. "You said she uses Muggle methods to send a message."

Tonks stepped back. Her stomach twisted, the murder was like the others, everything else fit. But Melanie Stone was obsessive; she didn't just change her behaviour suddenly….

Was this a copy cat killer?

"Are we still having her watched?" Tonks asked quietly.

Benshaw nodded. "Yes, quietly, but…" He grimaced.

Tonks closed her eyes and sighed. "Let me guess. No one saw her come to this residence. So, after this, she'll be taken off the suspect list?" Her hair changed to a dull brown.

She should have expected this. Melanie wasn't stupid; she was a highly intelligent psychopath who wouldn't risk getting caught twice.

 _But, are you sure she's the killer_? A deceitful voice whispered.

Damn it! Fucking mermaid tits. Self doubt was a pain in the ass.

"You okay, rookie?" Benshaw looked at her in concern.

Tonks flashed him a smile, her hair changing back to pink. "Just knackered, it's all these late nights."

He seemed to accept the answer good enough, besides it wasn't like it was a lie.

Tonks tried to keep a level head as they wrapped things up at the scene.

She couldn't let doubt settle in. Melanie had more or less admitted to being the killer, she was a narcissist, she couldn't help but gloat.

 _But it hadn't been an outward plea._

Tonks sighed, her brow furrowing as she shook her head, Mad-Eye had warned her about criminals playing mind games with Aurors.

She had to stay focussed and she couldn't get sucked in by Melanie's psycho chess match.

…Even if it did feel a little exhilarating.

* * *

Before she went home Tonks stopped off at the shop nearby. It was still a bit tricky handling Muggle money, but she was confident she'd figured out the basics - though the cashier hadn't looked happy when she gave her £50 for £3.56 worth of goods…

Tonks carried the small plastic bag of shopping up the stairs. When she reached her flat door, she tried unlocking it with wandless magic instead of her keys. The lock clicked open, making her grin. The wards tickled her skin once she entered her home.

She kicked the door shut behind her, clicking the lock back into place. More of the boxes had been unpacked, making the place look less crowded. Tonks placed the bag on the table and started shifting through it.

She hadn't bought much, just some butter, bread, a bag of oven chips. She took the butter out and moved towards the fridge.

She screamed when she opened the fridge, the butter dropping to the floor.

There was a severed head on the first shelf; the other shelves had been moved further up.

Ms Davies' head was in her fridge.

Why the hell was Ms Davies' head. In. Her. _Fridge?_

Tonks' hands shook, when her eyes landed on the thin slip of paper neatly positioned next to the head.

She swallowed a dry lump down her throat and hesitantly picked up the slip of paper.

The writing was written in crisp typewriter ink:

She read the writing shakily _."D_ _o you want to play a game, Tonks?"_


	4. Chapter 4

**Drabble challenge prompt "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." by Winston Churchill**

 **Quidditch Pitch prompt 'A Beautiful Lie' by 30 Seconds to Mars**

* * *

 _"There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter." - Ernest Hemingway._

* * *

 _Lie awake in bed at night_

 _And think about your life_

 _Do you want to be different?_

 _Try to let go of the truth_

 _The battles of your youth_

 _'Cause this is just a game_

* * *

17/05/94

During her training with Mad-Eye, he had told a quote that had helped him through the years. _'You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.'_

So in some way having a maniac try to scare her off with a severed head, could be seen as a personal accomplishment...or she should start considering a different line of work.

Within twenty five minutes of calling the Aurors, Tonks' apartment was swarmed with three Aurors, two Hit-witches and one Hit-wizard.

So much for a quiet night in.

She would have offered them all cups of tea, but she wasn't sure the milk in the fridge was safe to use anymore…

"Hey, rookie?"

Benshaw's voice zapped her out of her daze. Tonks glanced up, she had been leaning on the wall, silently watching her colleagues search her bedroom and kitchen drawers. She noticed He had two coffees in his hands. "Oh, thanks…" She frowned, taking the coffee from him. "You didn't have to."

Benshaw arched an eyebrow. "You found a head in your fridge…you seem to be handling that pretty well."

She shrugged, taking a sip of the hot beverage. "Have you ever seen a Giant and a human have sex?"

Her partner blanched. "Uh…no, can't say I have. Is this a story I want to hear?"

Tonks just shook her head. "Nah, you probably don't. The point is, I've dealt with more disturbing things than this."

"Well the wards are still intact." Auror Smith came out from her bedroom – Tonks' eyes narrowed. How long had he been in there? "Place is a bloody tip though."

"Like your place is any better, Alex?," she retorted, rolling her eyes at the rookie Auror. She didn't get why he was even here. He tended to avoid nights like they were the plague, this being more apparent with his disheveled light brown hair and the bags under his blue eyes.

Smith cocked an eyebrow. " _I_ don't leave half-eaten sandwiches under my bed."

One of the Hit-witches—was it Bethany?— popped her head from round the bedroom door. "It really is disgusting."

Tonks groaned; it was as if they'd all forgotten about the rotting head in her kitchen! "Guys there's a flipping head on my counter, so can we please figure out how the hell it got here?"

There was a collective pause.

 _Work colleagues = bloody useless!_

Then Auror Proudfoot cleared his throat, drawing in their attention. "The wards haven't been breached and there's no sign of forced entry."

Smith frowned, walking towards the door, using his finger to trace the keyhole. "What if they picked the lock?" He glanced over at Tonks. "Didn't your report say the killer favoured Muggle methods?"

 _Auror Alexander Smith = competent._

She nodded. "It'd make sense…have you lot questioned my neighbour yet?"

Benshaw shook his head. "Nobody was in."

Tonks glanced at the clock, 00:23, Riley should be back by now. "He works late at a pub – he's a Muggle," she said. Everyone except Smith looked surprised "…Well this _is_ a Muggle neighbourhood." She looked at them in bemusement.

"What time are his shifts?" Smith asked.

Tonks racked her brain. "Four or six hours? I'm not sure. He has tomorrow off, so I'll talk to him then."

Proudfoot nodded, then he frowned, the long lines in his sagging face becoming more apparent. "In the meantime, you can't stay here tonight. We've already alerted your parents."

Tonks sighed quietly. She knew it was protocol, but having to explain everything to her folks would be uncomfortable; considering how overprotective her mum could be…

"Right, fine then. Am I being moved to a safe house? Or are you just going to barricade their house?" she said casually.

"Well I am all for the barricade idea," Smith teased. Proudfoot shot him a stern look. Smith gruffly cleared his throat. "But you'll be transferred to your parents' house. The wards will be reinforced and two Aurors will be stationed outside."

"For how long?" Tonks folded her arms.

"Just until we figure out how the wards were breached and we catch the perpetrator," Benshaw reassured her.

 _So this would take a while,_ she thought.

Tonks felt a rise of frustration. So what was Melanie's game this time? The message was an invitation veiled in a threat. From what impression she got, Melanie didn't seem like a bully.

 _Do you want to play a game, Tonks?_

The message was laced in curiosity and expectancy. Melanie expected a response, an answer of some kind — so how as Tonks going to respond?

"Oi, you still with us, rookie?" Benshaw clicked his fingers in her face, jolting her back into reality.

The others were looking at her in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to go pack some things," she said dismissively, brushing past Benshaw towards her room, nearly tripping over the rug in the process.

* * *

18/05/94

Tonks yawned, stretching in her bed. Her bedroom back home was preserved, not a spec of dust in sight. The walls still a deep blue shade with an enchanted mural of unicorns chasing stars.

She went downstairs, still clad in her wrinkled Weird Sisters t-shirt and pink flannel pyjama bottoms. Her mum and dad were already in the kitchen, eating egg and bacon, with a jug or orange juice on the side.

"Wotcher," Tonks mumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Andromeda beamed. "Morning, Dora. I already made you a plate." She pointed to the ready-made plate next to the cooker.

Ted munched on his toast, dusting the crumbs off his shiny muggle suit. "Morning, love."

Tonks felt a rush of nostalgia, smiling faintly. She picked up the plate, which is when she noticed the two mugs of tea by the sink. "Uh, Mum, who's this for?"

Her mum perked up. "Oh, I nearly forgot about those. There for your friends outside, could you do me a favour and give it to them? They're out at the back."

 _Do me a favour = not a request._

Tonks discreetly rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure." She put her breakfast back down and picked up the two teas, sliding her dad's sandals on.

She went round the back of the house, finding Aurors Dawlish and Smith standing guard. Smith was the first to notice her. "Nice Pj's," the younger Auror said.

"Shut up and drink your tea," Tonks commented, handing over the mugs. "So, anything interesting happen? Did you halt any assassins trying to off me in the night?"

"No," Dawlish said curtly. He looked quite irritable, his ash blond hair was tangled and there were bags under his eyes. His suit was wrinkled, pale red tie sloppily done up.

Smith on the other hand was smiling brightly. His hair was neat and looked almost auburn in the morning sun, his suit fitting nicely with his lithe frame. Then again, he always was obsessed with looking perfect every damn morning.

"Oh well, maybe next time. What time is it?" Tonks questioned Smith.

He glanced at his watch. "7:40, you have less than half an hour to get ready for work," Smith answered.

"Plenty of time!" She waved her hand dismissively. "Who's taking over your shift?"

"Two Hit-wizards," Dawlish answered, draining his cup of tea.

Tonks grimaced, glancing over at Smith who just smiled grimly. "Right…well, see you at work." She smiled brightly, before turning back to the house.

* * *

Tonks popped a stick of bubblegum in her mouth, before unlocking the front door.

"Wait, don't forget your lunch!" Her mum rushed after her. A square pale blue plastic lunch box was in Andromeda's hands. "I heard the canteen can be expensive."

"Thanks, Mum," the Auror said, accepting the lunch box. They were cling film wrapped ham and cheese sandwiches, with a Mars bar stuffed in the side. Tonks found the nostalgic smile return to her face. Being home could be a bit smothering sometimes, but living with her mum and dad again made her feel oddly safe.

She just wished she didn't have to return under such unpleasant circumstances.

"Have a good day and tell me all about it when you get back," Andromeda told her.

"Yeah, I will..." Tonks chewed the gum more excessively. What if something happened to her mum? Two hit-wizards wasn't exactly tight security. If she was unavailable taking down another whack-job, she wouldn't be able to get to her mum in time if Melanie attacked her!

"Nymphadora?" Her mum placed a hand on her shoulder.

She was jerked out of her worrying. "Mum," Tonks groaned, sounding like a ten year old. "We have an agreement – _please_ don't say my name."

Andromeda arched an eyebrow. "I can't recall agreeing to that," she said lightly, glancing at the clock above the door. "You're going to be late."

Tonks' eyes widened when she looked at the time. "Shi-" Her mum's gaze became stern. "…Sugar." The young spiky-haired Auror shoved the lunch box into her wide robe pocket. She kissed her mum on the cheek as she opened the door. "Love you…be careful, alright…Floo me as soon-"

"Dora," Andromeda interrupted, fixing her with a reassuring smile. "I'm not helpless. I didn't survive the last war by hiding in a kitchen. I love you too. Now go to work."

Tonks was pushed outside, accidentally swallowing her gum.

* * *

Tonks made sure to check up on her mum every hour. Her dad was a bit harder to contact because of his job as a man on TV who talked about the weather, so she felt he was safer in the Muggle world.

The Auror made her way to level 8 where she could grab a seat outside Ministry Munchies café. She wiped the sweat on her brow, the Ministry office was often stuffy and boiling during Spring and Summer. It also didn't help the cleaners sometimes forgot to place cooling charms around the place.

The Atrium was crowded, workers and visitors Flooing in and out. Tonks found an empty chair at the café,the table hadn't been cleared yet, meaning there were empty paper cups messily laid out. Tonks just shrugged and sat down, making some room for her lunch. She unpacked her sandwiches and took her first bite.

"I hope you didn't get the wrong impression from my message?" A velvety voice said.

Tonks froze, her stomach churned. Her hair changed to a dull brown. Melanie came around from behind her and sat down opposite. The Unspeakable was in her official grey lab coat, ginger hair tied up into a ponytail.

Tonks' throat ran dry, swallowing her bite of food.

"Hello," the—still un-convicted— psychotic serial killer greeted brightly, placing a clear plastic lunch box on the table, flicking her wand to make the mess vanish. "I've always found homemade lunches more delicious." Melanie took the lid off the box, revealing a neatly arranged assortment of triangular tuna sandwiches, small tomatoes and a strawberry yogurt.

Tonks clenched her hands into fists, glowering at Melanie, feeling a rise of anger. This was just another mind game, just another way for this maniac to get under her skin. Well she wasn't going to have any of it! "If you're trying to intimidate me, you can fuck off. I'm trying to eat my lunch," she said calmly, releasing a deep breath to try to settle her nerves.

The Unspeakable looked at her blankly. "Peculiar. You've always struck me as someone with more manners. Did my message unnerve you that much?"

The Auror gritted her teeth, her hair turning red. _Ignore her, she wants you to react. Just walk away_. The voice sounded weirdly like Mad-Eye's.

Tonks stood up, her chair scraping the floor – a few people glanced over at them curiously.

"Sit down, Tonks," Melanie instructed coldly.

Tonks tasted a rotten flavour in her mouth. "This conversation is over, Ms. Stone." She picked up her lunch.

"No it isn't," the Unspeakable's voice stayed empty and icy. "And I'd be very offended if you left in the middle of our talk."

Tonks shallowly breathed in, staring the other woman down. "And I'm not in the mood to play your games."

Melanie heaved a deep sigh. "I'd prefer we clear the air now rather than later. After all, I wouldn't want to inconvenience your mother and father," she said silkily. Tonks' eyes burned with rage. "Now, sit down. I thought it would be nice if we had lunch together."

 _Control freak._

Tonks slowly returned to her chair, placing her lunch back on the table. "What do you want?"

The other woman smiled pleasantly. "I wanted an answer to my question." Her eyes became darker. "I went through a lot of effort to make the message memorable."

Tonks swallowed a lump down her throat. "Do I want to play a game? No, I just want justice, simple as that."

Melanie was quiet for a while, taking the time to eat her tuna sandwich; the smell was strong and it made the Auror want to throw the woman's lunch across the room. "Has anyone told you how beautiful you are, Tonks?"

"Excuse me?" The shape-shifter's hair turned bright green, her eyes grew wider in shock. Some witches sitting at a table opposite looked at Tonks oddly.

"It's an entirely factual and scientific observation, I promise," Melanie replied smoothly, her lips twitching upwards. "My observation is more focused on you genetically, rather than shallow purposes."

There was a deep unpleasant ache in Tonks' stomach, as the Unspeakable stared at her unblinkingly. "What are you talking about?"

"You possess a genetic gift to change your shape and form. Only one out of a hundred Wizardkind have that power," Melanie said. "You're like a rare animal — it's magnificent."

Tonks shivered, a thick lump in her throat. The two of them sat in silence. The Auror's hair faded to a bland yellow, her skin crawling when she realised what Melanie really wanted.

In the game of cat and mouse you either escape or get captured, that was the only way the game ended. A mouse couldn't kill a cat…unless it gouged out the cat's eyes…

"…It must be frustrating." Melanie sighed deeply, gaze still trained on her. "Having your emotions displayed for all to see."

Tonks bristled in indignation, quickly changing her hair back to a vibrant pink. "First of all, I'm not your lab rat. I will take you down, I can promise you that," she said fiercely, standing to her feet. "I'll admit you make my skin crawl, but so does a cockroach. Don't delude yourself into thinking you're something special, because frankly you just come off as overcompensating."

The rest of the café had gone silent, staring at the two women.

Melanie's eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together. "Funny, you sound like you're trying to prove something? How… _quaint._ " She packed away her half-eaten lunch. "I'll catch up with you later when you're in more of a...docile mood."

Tonks' hair was a flaming red. She gritted her teeth as she stared the woman down. Her magic sparked and fizzled, blood was pumping, roaring for a fight; she'd never felt so angry before. Melanie calmly walked away with from her, like an adult avoiding a petulant child.

The customers in the cafe were staring at Tonks as if she belonged in St. Mungos. She closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down, her breathing steadying, hair fading to a pale pink.

She gulped, shifting uncomfortably when she felt the burn of the onlookers gazes, causing her to hurry out of the cafe.

* * *

19/05/94

The ringing from her alarm echoed in her ears, while a beam of sun shined through the curtains. Tonks stirred in her bed. There was a faint sound of clattering downstairs – most likely her mum down in the kitchen.

When she opened her eyes she saw a jar of dead cockroaches resting on her pillow.

Tonks tumbled out of her bed, hitting the floor. Her heart was racing as she shivered in fear. Shakily she got to her feet and approached the jar resting on her white pillow.

The jar had a purple bow tied around it, there was no note attached.

She started to sweat and tremble, covering her mouth, her heart thundering against her chest.

So maybe she had lied when she said Melanie didn't scare her.

* * *

 _It's a beautiful lie_

 _It's a perfect denial_

 _Such a beautiful lie to believe in_

 _So beautiful, beautiful lie makes me..._


End file.
